Rotary multi-position switch



1957 D. w. JOHNSON 2,802,911

ROTARY MULTI-POSITION swnca Filed May 14, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

DzJv/a W Johnson 24 BY his qf/omeys 2,802,911 ROTARY MU'LTI-POSITION SWITCH David W. Johnson, Newington, Conn., assignor to The Arrow-Hart & Hegeman Electric Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application May 14, 1956, Serial No. 584,696

7Claims. Cl. 200-11 This invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to rotary multi-position electric switches.

There are anurnber of usages for electric switches which require a rotary member, to select and control one or another or a combination of the branches of a circuit, such as in an electric fan circuit, wherein the switch must be capable of easy rotative motion, must be able to be manufactured inexpensively and must provide for even and adequate contact pressure, particularly when the movable contact members are balls or the like.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved rotary electric switch structure for controlling one or more branches of an electric circuit in which the contact may be made and broken by movement of a ball or plural ball contacts engaging a common contact and individual fixed contacts.

A related object is to provide in such a switch for adequate and equalized pressures on the balls when more than one ball is used.

Another object is to provide a switch having the foregoing characteristics which has all its contacts and moving parts mounted on one member or plate, providing a unitary structure which may easily be assembled in or connected to the device or apparatus which is to be controlled. thereby.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the invention is described in connection withthe drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation view partly in section and partly broken away of a switch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view ofthe switch of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the ball retainer and operating member;

Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one of the individual contacts;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the common fixed contact.

Referring to the drawings, on a sheet insulation disc are mounted a plurality of similar individual fixed contacts designated generally by the numerals 20, 22 and 24 stamped from sheet metal and located in spaced position around an arc of the circle about the center of the disc.

Each contact may comprise a terminal leg portion a bent down on one side from a rectangular central contact portion 200 which extends into a rectangular aperture in the disc 10. The contact portion is diepressed making an elongated dish-shape depression as may be seen in Figs. 1 and 4.

A shorter leg 20b is bent down parallel to the terminal leg 2% but from the opposite edge of the contact portion 20c and extending into the aperture in the disc at the opposite side from 20a. Shoulders 20s are formed on each side of the leg 20a where it enters the disc and they limit the entrance of the contact portion 200 into the disc opening.

From the other two edges of the contact portion 20c, contact and positioning lugs 20d, 202 extend up and are atent O bent over on the surface of the disc 10. These lugs, together with the shoulders 20s, hold each of the individual fixed contact members in place in its own aperture in the disc.

Mounted on one surface of the disc is an annular common fixed contact member designated generally by the numeral 30, stamped from thin flexible sheet metal.

The common contact member may be considered as having two parts, one a mounting portion 34 and the other a contact portion 32. The mounting portion 34 which extends about or less around the member is bent offset from the contact portion 32 and is adapted to rest upon the surface of the disc 10.

Connection between the contact portion 32 of the common contact member and the individual contact members 20, 22 and 24 is established by one or more movable ball contacts, such as 45. When only one branch circuit is to be controlled only one contact ball is used.

To mount and move the ball or balls, a ball retainer member 40 comprising a sector-shaped insulation stamping enlarged at its apex to surround a square opening 44 therein for a switch spindle 50 is inserted between the common contact portion 32 and the individual contacts 20, 22 and 24. A plurality of round holes, 41, 42, 43 to receive the contact ball or balls are punched in the retainer in the are 5 of concentric circles whose center is in the spindle axis. Alternate holes 41, 43 are in the arc xx of the larger or outer circle. When two or more branches of the circuit are to be simultaneously controlled, two or more balls are inserted in holes at different distances from the spindle axis. The balls in adjacent holes will therefore move in spaced concentric paths x-x and yy about the spindle axis as a center and will engage successively the individual fixed contacts as the ball retainer and spindle are rotated-continuously.

In such cases, one ball being nearer the center than the other, it is needful to provide for adequate and substantially equal pressure on the balls. In order to insure such adequate and even contact pressure as the balls move into engagement with different individual fixed contacts, the contact portion 32 of the common contact member 30 is slit arcuately concentric with the center of the contact member and about the spindle axis. This provides inner and outer arcuate portions 31 and 33, respectively. The innermost ball will thus be pressed upon by the inner arcuate portion 31. The pressure exerted by that inner arcuate portion will be exerted upon the innermost ball only. The outermost ball, on the other hand, will be engaged with the outer-arcuate portion 33. which will thus exert a separate substantially equal pressure upon that ball. Thus, the switch provides for individual and separate pressures upon the contact balls and insures even contact pressure.

Since the ball retainer maintains the balls at a predetermined radial distance from the switch spindle axis, the pressure of the arcuate portions 31 and 33 are parallel to the axis and tend to press the balls on one side or the other of the fixed contacts, i. e. toward 20d or 20e.

The switch is operated by a spindle having a square central portion passing through the ball retainer and causing the retainer to rotate as the spindle is rotated. One end 50' of the spindle is round and has a bearing in the disc 10 in one end of the keyhole slot 14 by means of which the spindle end can be slipped sideways into place. For that purpose a circumferential groove is cut into the spindle near that end reducing the spindle diameter there, as at 54. The other end is supported in a hollow bearing boss 52 having a reduced neck extending into a hole in a metal mounting plate 56 and peened over att53 to secure the boss and plate together. The plate is secured in spaced parallel relation to the disc by arms 58 which extend from the periphery of the plate and are bent parallel to the switch spindle. The ends of the arms have narrowed extending fingers 57 which lie in peripheral notches in the disc 10 and are bent over onto the disc surface.

From the foregoing it may be observed that I have provided a novel rotary multiple circuit switch which can be used for controlling either multiple circuits or a single circuit or branches of a single circuit and in which the contact is made by pressures of a flat spring member on balls, which pressure is equalized by the means described.

Manymodifications within the scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the exact form and detail described and illustrated. i

I What is claimed is: I

:1. A rotary electric switch comprising an insulation mounting plate, a plurality of individual stamped sheet metal fixed contactsmounted in circular arrangement on said plate, a common flexible arcuate fixed contact afiixed on said plate and overlying said individual contacts, a ball retainer movable between said common contact and said individual contacts, a ball in said retainer engaging. with said common contact and engageable with one or another of said individual contacts selective- 11y under pressure of said common contact, and means rotatively mounted in said plate for rotating said retainer to move said ball into different switch positions for engaging said fixed contacts selectively.

2. A rotary electric switch comprising a common flexible fixed contact, a plurality of individual circularly arranged fixed contacts, a rotary ball retainer having a plurality of ball-receiving openings therein at difierent radii from axis of rotation of said retainer, a plurality of balls in said openings engaging with said common contact and. engageable selectively with one or another of said individual contacts, said common contact having independently flexible portions engaging the inner and outer balls respectively to exert separate pressures there- 3. An electric switch comprising an insulation mounting plate, a plurality of individual fixed contacts mounted on said plate, a common flexible fixed contact mounted of said plate and overlying said individual contacts, a ball retainer movable between said common contact and said individual contacts and having a ball-receiving opening, a ball in said opening engaging with said common contact and engageable with one or another of said individual contacts and movingin a predetermined path as the retainer is moved, a second ball-receiving opening in said retainer, a second ball in said other opening engagingwith said common contact and engageable with one or another of said individual contacts as said retainer is moved, said second ball moving in a path spaced from the path of the first ball, said common contact having separately flexible portions engaging with said first ball and with said second ball respectively to exert separate pressures on said balls.

4. An electric switch comprising an insulation mounting plate, a plurality of individual fixed contacts mounted on said plate, a common flexible fixed contact mounted on said plate and overlying said individual contacts, a rotary ball retainer having a plurality of ball-receiving openings therein at different radii from axis of rotation of said retainer, a plurailty of balls in said openings engaging with said common contact and engageable selectively with one or another of said individual contacts, said common contact having independently flexible portions engaging the inner and outer balls respectively to exert separate pressures thereon and means rotatively mounted in said mounting plate for rotating said retainer to move said balls into and out of engagement with said individual contacts. 7

5. A rotary switch as claimed in claim 1 in which the last-named means is a spindle, bearing means for said spindle spaced from said mounting plate, and means attached to said mounting plate supporting said bearing means from said mounting plate and in spaced relation thereto.

6. A rotary switch as claimed in claim 4 in which the last-named means is a spindle, bearing means for said spindle spaced from said mounting plate, and means attached to said mounting plate supporting said bearing means from said mounting plate and in spaced relation thereto.

- 7. A rotary electric switch comprising an insulation mounting plate, a plurality of individual stamped sheet metal fixed contacts mounted in circular arrangement on said plate, a common flexible arcuate fixed contact afiixed on said plate and overlying said individual contacts, a ball retainer movable between said common contact and said individual-contacts, a ball in said retainer engaging with said common contact and engageable with one or another of said individual contacts selectively under pressure of said conmmon contact, and means rotatively mounted in said plate for rotating said retainer to move said ball into different switch positions for engaging said fixed contacts selectively, said individual fixed contacts each having a depressed portion facing said common flexible contact and serving to definitely locate and maintain the ball in the diflerent switch positions and also having a terminal leg extending through said mounted plate in the opposite direction from said ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,225 Valette Apr. 28, 1908 2,201.882 'Bryant et al. May 21, 1940 2,488,778 Meuer Nov. 22, 1949 

